NASA has revealed the successor to its Ingenuity helicopter, the “Mars Chopper,” a larger drone designed for advanced exploration on Mars.

The new model features six rotors with smaller blades for increased lift and can carry up to five kilograms of scientific instruments over a distance of up to three kilometers.

With a greater payload capacity, the Mars Chopper will enable detailed terrain studies in areas inaccessible to rovers, NDTV has reported.

While Ingenuity exceeded expectations with 72 flights over nearly three years, the Mars Chopper is expected to further advance the exploration of Mars and other alien worlds with solid surfaces and atmospheres.

Written by B.C. Begley